Queen B

November Catch Up

2005-11-05T22:00:00.000+13:00

Well October had been and gone and no postings. Busy, busy with work meetings and a mounting pile of work realting to each meeting, plus travelling to both Dunedin and Auckland during October formore meetings, so heaps of excuses. I do enjoy reading everyone's else blog though.

Today has been a big catch up day which has been great. The weather started off sunny and warm but rather windy, then rapidly deteriorated to a grey, cool and extremely windy unpleasant day. The washing all got done however, even drawers tidied, linen cupboard tidied plus I spoke on the phone to Milky and her friend Ulrika in Sweden this morning as they were about to scoff more "Princess Cake". (No doubt Milky will explain in great detail in her blog what this Cake consisted of)

Its Frieworks Night here tonight. A major display was organised for the city and was done from a barge in the harbour just off Queens Wharf. I went for the easy option - stayed home to ensure the beloved Grandcat Darsha was safe inside as it was her first city fireworks night since she was a kitten, and watched the display from my lounge window. Couldn't see it all but I certainly saw some beautiful fireworks and even better I didn't have to battle the traffic there and back or even worse try and find a park.

Time for bed now, seems like all the fireworks around the suburb have finished (or that may well be famous last words).

Thank you Stan for fixing up my blog - you are a star.

Happy Birthday Charlotte - hope you have had a great day.

Pania's Been Found

2005-11-05T21:58:00.000+13:00

The bronze 1.5 metre high statue of Pania of the Reef that had been in place for over 50 years on the foreshore in my home town was stolen by some numpties last week. She was found by Police in a garage covered in blankets yesterday during a “routine search” of a property. Pania weighed 150kg and took 3 Police Officers to move her. Hardly worth the numpties efforts as they would never have been able to sell her and melted down she was only worth approx $NZ200.

The TV coverage outside the court where they had appeared for an initial hearing before JP’s showed both Mothers of the two arrested telling the media their son and daughter were not guilty and the guilty should come forward. The arrested couple were also charged with growing cannabis on the property.

Recovery Nearly Complete

2005-09-04T11:04:00.000+12:00

My recovery is chugging along ok and I will be back to full time hours at work(instead of part-time hours) from tomorrow week. I have found it very frustrating that the recovery has been quite slow and tiring – but at least it’s happening.

The All Blacks had a good win over the Australians last night to take out the Tri Nations Trophy as well as the Bledisloe Cup. Very entertaining game with the AB’s ahead 20-Nil in the first half and then the Auzzies came to life in the second half and a good game of rugby ensued, able to keep Milky NZ posted on the score as we chatted on the phone.

Our Rowers also took out gold in Japan – 4 gold medals in 40 minutes so that’s a pretty good record indeed.

Big Steve and Char have left NZ shores this morning, so I will miss catching up with them via the free weekend text messages. Good to follow their travels on their blog.

The weather here in Wellywood has picked up this week and we have had some wonderful mild days which have been wonderful. I pass the botanical gardens twice a day in the bus on the way to and from work and the gardens are looking an absolute picture at the moment with the blossom on the trees, the rhodendrons, and camellias in full bloom and the tulips are nearly ready to bloom. We have Tulip Sunday (20,000 plus bulbs in bloom) at the end of September and over the last 10 years this Sunday has heralded the worst weather possible in Wellington – here’s hoping this year the weather will be good.

Today is somewhat cool and overcast so it’s indoors chore to be attended to. Some embroidery may even get done later this afternoon, on second thoughts that will become top priority as I haven’t done any for ages. I will have to talk with Darsha though as she ain’t allowed on my knee when the embroidery comes out.

Nothing much else to report from Wellywood.

Seven Days On

2005-08-26T17:02:00.000+12:00

Seven days on from my tussle with the cycle courier I’m feeling a whole lot better but haven’t achieved much during the week at home apart from lots of sleeping, and being very well looked after by a series of visitors.

So decided I needed to do something for myself today. This is what I did:

Sat in the sun in the conservatory and did a crossword this morning
Washed and hung out two loads of washing
Drove the car for the first time in seven days and went down to the local Mall and did a couple of messages and got a few groceries
Hired a couple of DVD’s from the Video Store
Went to the Library and found an interesting assortment of books to take out

So that was good progress for me. I did feel a bit tired at the end of the excursion but it was good and productive.

Feeling that I had to do something positive around 4pm to make this a good Friday afternoon I sat and watched the DVD “My House In Umbria”. I set myself up in the lounge with a cup of Mr Whittard’s Darjeeling Tea, served in the best bone china, a few crackers and some slicked cheddar and ensured that Darsha was settled down as I didn’t wish to be interrupted. Wow it was a wonderful choice of entertainment. This was such a fantastic, amazing, wonderful drama, beautiful scenery and costuming and an absolutely perfect way to fill in the latter afternoon.

Will prepare the dinner shortly and then after dinner I’m going to sit and have a change of pace and watch the DVD “Hitched”.

Friday Adventure

2005-08-25T16:06:00.000+12:00

Last Friday afternoon I decided to pop out from work at 4pm and go across the road to post a letter to the beloved daughter – a trip I often do. But … this time the outcome was not pretty. The good news is that I’m around to tell the tale, even if the battered and bruised body has given me a reasonable amount of discomfort and grief since Friday.

According to eye witness reports I “danced” with a bike courier (who was speeding along in the bus lane) and I lost big time. Fortunately I have absolutely no recollection of what happened. No recollection either of the policemen who turned up and gosh they could have been gorgeous hunks like Dan Carter, so that was a bit of a waste. I woke up sitting in an ambulance and went to hospital for several hours being discharged at 9pm. Our hospital system is ….. mmmm ok but I was told that I needed to have someone to stay with me over night and wake me 4 hourly and if I did have a seizure call an ambulance and take me back to hospital. Great news when your housemate is the beloved grandcat. Yip she can wake me up at set times but she has a bit of difficulty using the phone.

Thankfully workmates and friends were just fantastic and have really looked after me all week and thank you everyone who has sent get well messages – they have been a good tonic.

Despite being “confined to quarters” since last Friday I haven’t been able to sit comfortably at the keyboard and update the blog but the bruising is beautiful technicolours now and sitting is somewhat more comfortable. It is a bit uncomfortable and cramped when Darsha insists on sitting on my knee and helping though, but she is easily distracted by her much loved catnip teabag.

No pics - as they were not very pretty.

It's Been Awhile

2005-07-30T16:35:00.000+12:00

A bit of a catch up!

I love entering competitions and have more than my fair share of major successes so entered another competition at the local supermarket recently.

Yes I did win it (not many people enter supermarket competitions as often they don’t have a pen or just plain can’t be bothered so the odds are always rather reasonable).

When I duly turned up at the supermarket to collect said prize the expression on the older guy who had to go get the prize from the upstairs office and walk through the store with it was priceless. He obviously thought what is the old girl going to do with that, (now I can hear a few suggestions being thought of) so I just had to burst his bubble and say “Don’t worry its for my grandchildren”. Driving home from the store with it occupying the front seat of the car certainly made most of the passing motorists laugh. My grandchildren have reported that they have had a great time with the Mashian during the school holidays.

I thoroughly enjoyed having Big Steve and Char to stay. Wonderful to come home and the house was warm, the lights on, Darsha fed and contented and a cuppa was made for me. Absolute bliss.

We had fun doing a tiki tour around the city on Saturday. you certainly see your own city through different eyes when you take visitors around. Fantastic food at the Chocolate Fish Café at Scorching Bay – no wonder Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings Crew made it their local watering hole. Always a crowd of people and as you can see they stay open 7 days a week to feed the masses.

Excellent and cheerful service and each chair is painted with an individual design, which make chair gazing around the café most entertaining. Their hot chocolate was just divine – not made with sickly chocolate syrup, it had a yummy Whittakers (local manufacture) Chocolate Bar in the hot milk. Hot Chocolate definitely needs to be tasted again tomorrow when I’m over that way to collect a friend flying in for Auckland who is staying for a couple of days.

We went into the city last Saturday night with big Steve and Char and they shouted me to a fantastic meal - the Beef Wellington was cooked to perfection and the Champagne Cocktail was pretty dam good too. The only downside of the night was waiting for the last bus home, only to see it come along and the driver failed to stop at the designated bus stop for the seven passengers waiting. So it was a taxi home. So I made a very grumpy phonecall to Stagecoach when we got home.

On Monday night Big Steve cooked one of his wonderful curries. Not ever having had much opportunity to try curries I have now been converted and at the supermarket today brought the ingredients for a Tikka Masala.

Having a catch up with some old workmates tomorrow night at one of the local pubs for a Quiz Night.

The bridge playing is finally on the improve after being somewhat shabby to say the least over the last month or so.

Its all in a T-Bag

2005-07-30T15:51:00.000+12:00

Darsha (the beloved Grandcat) has been sick this week and this required a sleepover with her new mates at the local vet clinic.

Back home last night and needing to be given antibiotics tablets plus antinflamatory drops twice daily presented a tad of a challenge. But magic rememdy was at hand.

Her Mum had sent over some CatNip Tea Bags - yes I could make her some catnip tea and serve it to her in her Bunnykins Bowl or alternatively give her the dry tea bag to play with. So I opted for the latter method which kept her entertained for 30 minutes or so rolling around the lounge floor and hey presto she took the tablets like a lamb when slightly (well it was obviously more than slightly) high on catnip. Lotty you just HAVE to get your Mum to buy you some of these wonderful "pick me ups".

Darsha had been thoroughly spoilt while Big Steve and Char were visiting and was bereft when they left for the South Island. No one at home to keep her company and open and shut doors on demand as well as keeping the food flowing. Thank you Big Steve and Char for being so patient and kind to Darsha.

THREE ZIP

2005-07-11T10:14:00.000+12:00

Not really a lot else to say is there?

New Zealand has experienced some fantastic visitors over the last month, our economy has had a huge boost by the injection of many British Pounds and us Kiwi are delighted that out our won the beautiful Waterford Crystal trophy.

Did have a bad moment when Tana held it up above his head thinking – Tana please don’t drop the best Irish crystal.

Will it really be another 12 years before the Lions tour our country again?

Whilst there has been jubilation at the Rugby series victory the papers certainly bring us back to earth with the tragedy suffered by the British people last Thursday and there wouldn’t be one New Zealander who was not sickened and saddened those bombings.

THANK YOU SIR CLIVE

2005-07-05T18:44:00.000+12:00

Well 24 million (I trust that is NZ dollars not British Pound) spent bringing the British and Irish Lions to our fair shores was a huge bonus for Wellywood last weekend. The wonderful English, Irish, Scots and Welsh tourists filled the city and were good humoured, happy and spent well. The extra bonus for Wellywood was that the weather was perfect, the stadium was sold out and of course our very own DAN CARTER was a hero and the ALL BLACKS walloped Sir Clive’s rather expensive team.

Whoever the Marketing Manager for the team is and if he/she chose the pantone shade of red for the Lions gear they should get the knighthood. Absolutely brilliant. The red shone wherever you looked last week, even outshone the vibrant yellow of the stadium seats.

‘nuf said about the Rugby.

Lack of blogging….. well June has disappeared but the following happened:

? We had our big work Conference in Balmy Palmy (translation for Palmerston North) in early June – 640 attendees so it was a major effort all round. Rather worn out when I returned back to Wellywood.

? Heaps of work to do when I got back to the office, plus a Board meeting thrown in for good measure.

? I changed my surname back to my maiden name. Good to invoke the O’ again

? Had a number of visitors to stay which was brilliant

So time to go watch Auckland play the Lions. I just wonder who will win this game.

Topped the List Again

2005-05-30T21:34:00.000+12:00

Just in case you don't know the Crusaders (from Christchurch NZ) won the Super 12 Rugby competition at the weekend.

The Virtual Super 12 competition that attracts over 127,000 players each week has also finished for the year. AND ..... Milky's Mum is definitely Queen B ahead of those with lesser scores - Milky NZ, Bloo, D-Man, Big Steve and The Tanners.

Nothing else to say today.

Graduated!

2005-05-22T19:45:00.000+12:00

Major excitement for me this weekend I've graduated from only having a tape deck/ AM/FM Radio in my car to now having a CD Player as well as an AM/FM Radio. this may not sound like exciting news to you very clever music people out there, but for Queen B its just the greatest. Thank you daughter dearest for having the presence of mind to take it out of the Wagon before it was sold.

Now to sort out which CD's I want to play in the car. Oh yes and remember to take them downstairs and actually put them in the car.

So what else has happened?

A busy shite week at work last week so much to get done and so little time.
Had my cousin from down south to stay for the weekend, so we have had some late nights, plus a few wines and today been out and about in the shitty weather. Spent the afternoon at Te Papa seeing the exhibition of Drawings from the Royal Collection entitled - "Holbein to Hockney" which was absolutely stunning. Also part of the exhibition you could enter a competition to win a trip to Windsor Castle. Of course I entered and of course I'm ever hopeful.

The Saints (Wellywood's Mens Basketball Team) had a good win in the NBL on Friday night. About time too as their chances of making the semis were looking decidely slim a week ago.

The Hurricanes played appallingly and the Crusaders cruised to a staggering win to make the final Super 12 game next weekend. They will play the Warratahs down at Jade Stadium in Christchurch, so Bloo it does have to be "Go The Crusaders" for next weekend, but will they win by 13+ or 12 or less?

Next weekend is the semi-finals of the National Bank Cup (Womens Netball) Magic, Sting, Force and Diamonds are fighting it out to see who will play in the final so I think I can look forward to being pretty much a couch potato next weekend.

Photobucket

2005-05-16T21:01:00.000+12:00

This is a test post from Photobucket.com

Pics for Briggsy

2005-05-16T20:57:00.000+12:00

I went down south to Timaru and on the way to Temuka say the following. Just had to stop and take these pics for Briggsy.

Me thinks the pics tell the story

and

and a close up

If its all a bit of a mystery to you - expxlanation. This is the farm where Phar Lap was born. Sorry the pics of the plaque are not better but I was getting such stick from my family about being in the middle of the road taking pics of a road sign etc.

Wellywood Reporting In

2005-05-03T21:01:00.000+12:00

Well it seems so quiet here after all the rush and bustle to get Milky off to the Blighty. Her things that had reached Wellywood are just about all stored away carefully – as Mums do cleaned the pictures and wrapped them carefully in bubble wrap etc. Things washed that got wet in the car on the way down when the boot leaked. The other goods one of my dear friends was bringing down from Hammers have had a stop off in Te Aroha and will be stored there for a couple of months until they reach Wellywood, so its all good.

Darsha (the beloved grandcat) and I have come to a sort of arrangement about who is in charge in the household and by mutual agreement we have gone for a 50/50 arrangement. I’m not too chuffed at being woken at midnight because she is bored and wants to play but a night spent in the conservatory (not by me) sorted that little number out. So the bean bag sitting beside the heater has now become popular and Darsha is rather pleased to have the run of the house during the day. Well Winter seems to have hit the capital city with lightening speed so why would she want to be outside much? Oh yes that to get Milky's Dad to come over and make Darsha a wooden step so she could get in and out the cat door easier - well she isn't a young lady you know!.

Super 12 pics were rather dismal last week and yes D-Man I noticed how the placings were – even Bloo managed mega points. So this week some serious thought is going into the pics.

The Shakers were dismal (that the Wellywood team playing netball in the National Bank Cup) went to watch them play the Force on Friday night. Great atmosphere and yet I did get those National Bank green thingees that are very ingenious and you blow them up and bang them together (I can see this is going to draw a few comments – however moving right along) and they make heaps of noise in the stadium. So that was some good amusement.

Work – well work is work and a necessary evil.

Off down to the south island, Timaru to be exact, for the weekend for my brothers birthday then up to north of the Bombay hills (I think the town is called Auckland) for the Board meeting next week. So Darsha has to go stay at the cattery. Checked it out the day Milky left (as per instructions). Its in the country, has a very large cat lounge with a pretty good looking stereo system, nice roomy cages for night time and best of all the farm has cows so Darsha will be quite happy there – I hope.

So its wet and cold and miserable here today and the rain is beating down.

Other than all of the above life is good. No pics to post as its too hard and takes too long and I’m too tired tonight.

She's On Her Way - (Version 4 with pics - hopefully)

2005-04-26T15:51:00.000+12:00

Good News – Darsha returned from her walkabout about 10.30pm last night. Pheww that was one bit relief. Appalling weather yesterday and of so cold, really cold and wet.

Up this morning in the dark at 6.15am read the paper and had breakfast. Darsha also had her breakfast and then Milky appeared and read the paper etc. Then it was all go to do the final bits and pieces and put all the luggage in the car and head to the airport.

7.40am
It was an absolutely picture perfect Wellywood morning so we drove around the harbour which looked stunning. Thankfully the traffic was flowing freely (great school holidays so that helped otherwise it would have been major stress).

8.45am
Arrived at airport and Milky checked in, time for a sit down and chat with both her Dad and I before boarding her Qantas flight to Auckland.

So many tears from Mother she went through security only to set off the security with the charming belt (complete with chunky silver buckle) she had found in the depths of my wardrobe and was using to strap her camera and binoculars to her waist. So that was sorted reasonably quickly.

Message from Darsha
No Idea what all the fuss was about me yesterday. I’m very settled into life at Grans
Very comfy on the duvet on the spare bed thank you. But at least all the neighbours now know my name thanks to my Mum putting posters in their letterboxes last night to say that I was lost.

Love from Darsha

Stress, Stress

2005-04-20T18:05:00.000+12:00

My grand-cat Darsha arrived last night and she was a majorily stressed out pussycat. She flew from Hammers to Wellywood and the noise of the planes in the cargo area (yes she had to fly as cargo - oh so undignified indeed) was very intense and the wind was bitterly cold. So dear Darsha was quite pleased to get into the cage and be in the warm car for the journey home.

But once at home with Gran she realised very quickly "this ain't home and my Mum ain't here" so she just wanted to hide in the corner and not even think about being social. So with all her trimmings she was shut in the bathroom for the night so she could settle down. Bean bag, polar fleece, food, water nice warm room but she chose to sleep in the shower. So be it.

Poor Darsha and myself were still stressed this morning so I left her in the bathroom again for the day and she is much better tonight and while not toally happy with her lot she has sort of given Gran a momentary "seal of approval". That may well change when she discovers its Bridge night and I'm off out again.

The things Mothers do for their darling daughters.

3 Days to Go

2005-04-18T19:28:00.000+12:00

Three days to go and my two girls will be here with me in Wellywood. Methinks Darsha is coming tomorrow night and Milky is definitely coming Thursday. Yahoo. It will be so good to have the here. I’m sure Darsha and I will have a bit of a chat about House Rules and by Friday we will be good friends – unless of course she sits on my Limoges and uses the parlour palm sitting in the jardinière for unmentionables.

So there is a bit of a programme planned in the countdown to Tuesday 27th, but more on that as time progresses. Don’t want any of the programme getting vetoed at this stage.

Snippet from the Bus Ride Home tonight

When you are riding on a public bus with everyone and sundry are you in a public place or not?

Well riding home tonight in the new and very spunky bus tonight this was overhead.

The bus was full to capacity (surprise, surprise) and travelling very slowly as a cyclist persisted in peddling uphill ahead of the bus in the bus lane (great so far for the mood of the tired passengers).

A young Mum and her child of about 2 on her knee were sitting opposite a “crusty” somewhat aged maiden aunt (would be a wonderful description) and the young Mum’s friend was sitting diagonally opposite her. They were chatting away in great detail about some event of the day and “crusty” was trying to read her book (dusk fast approaching and reading time fast dying) when all of a sudden “crusty” says for all the passengers to hear “Would you stop talking this is not a public place …….”

Night, night

Isn't She So CUTE?

2005-04-18T18:33:00.000+12:00

You asked for pics of Milky NZ in a dress - here 'tis.

Yes I still have the dollies pram stored in the basement, and the "Nicky" the doll went to Hammers - and may well arrive back here on Thursday.

Believe me if I had a scanner here in Wellywood there would be heaps more "interesting pics".

This is definitely one of my favourite photos of my darling daughter. Even shows some curls

Isn't She So CUTE?

2005-04-18T08:27:00.000+12:00

To Sit or Stand

2005-04-12T21:19:00.000+12:00

Well what do you think about the manners on those who travel on public transport?

I catch the bus into the city each day. Mostly I donâ€™t get a seat becaus

the seats are already occupied by the students in uniform who refuse to catch the designated school buses
there is a rush to get on (from a majority of the passengers) and that is always won hands down by the Asian students who think they have a God given right to shove us Kiwis out of the way regardless of our age, gender etc.
the males aged between 20-35 think they have priority rights to occupy seats
being aged ( well I guess over 35 is â€œagedâ€� ) or infirm i.e. on crutches etc. or very pregnant doesnâ€™t qualify you to have a seat. (I admit to 1 out of 3 on that one - and its not the last two!)
eye contact and giving the evils to the young louts occupying the seats doesnâ€™t work

How come the school students have the poshest cellphones to text from en route and the flashest music gear plugged into their ears which is playing so loudly most of the passengers can hear the drone of the "music" as well. And they pay half price for their tickets

So whatâ€™s the answer to being able to occupy a seat on a commuter bus be it either a trolley or diesel bus??

2005-04-08T20:20:00.000+12:00

Well this is the first entry. BIG thanks to Stan Coustean aka Grrrrr for setting me up. Now jsut need to work out what I want to say.

So time now to sit back have a cuppa and watch the Pope's funeral and ponder what to write tomorrow